Bottle and closure therefor



15, 1967 R. BAILEY BOTTLE. AND CLOSURE THEREFOR Filed Feb. 10, 1966 NIH] II II II N H II H H II II II H INVENTOR ROBERT L. BAILEY Unite States 3,335,891 BOTTLE AND CLOSURE THEREFOR Robert L. Bailey, Spokane, Wash, assignor to National Distillers and Chemical Corp, New York, N.Y., a corporation of Virginia Filed Feb. 10, 1966, Ser. No. 526,480 1 Claim. (Cl. 215-31) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A bottle having a neck portion adapted to receive either snap caps or threaded caps in combination with a snap cap.

This invention relates to an improved plastic bottle and closure combination, particularly to a plastic bottle designed for use in the marketing of milk, other dairy products and juices.

The bottle described below is designed for use primarily by dairies, being particularly well adapted for initial use in the sale and marketing of milk. The bottle itself is designed for multi-purpose use, and is provided with an opening that can be alternately sealed by a flexible protective cap or by a screw cap having peripheral threaded areas.

It is a first object of this invention to provide a closable opening for a plastic bottle that can receive more than one type of closure. The choice of closures permits the bottle to be sealed by machine methods or by hand, using either snap-in closures or threaded closures.

Another object of this invention is to provide a plastic bottle for use by dairies requiring a protective snap-in closure. The instant bottle permits further use by customers, utilizing a threaded closure on the original opening.

Another object of this invention is to provide an opening configuration on a bottle for multi-purpose use which can be easily molded by conventional methods.

These and further objects will be evident from the following disclosure, taken together with the accompanying drawings, the drawings showing one configuration of bottle opening and two alternate types of closures.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a vertical sectional view through the top section of a bottle showing the bottle opening when sealed by a snap-in closure;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevation view of the bottle and closure in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a vertical sectional view similar to FIG- URE 1, showing the same bottle opening with a second type of closure sealed thereon;

FIGURE 4 is a side elevation View of the bottle and closure shown in FIGURE 3; and

FIGURE 5 is a top view of the bottle and closure in FIGURE 1, the closure being cut away in the left portion of the drawing.

The bottle opening illustrated in the drawings can be provided on any type of bottle having any cross sectional configuration. As an example, it could be provided at the top section of a milk bottle of any desired size or shape, but it is to be understood that the opening need not be a central opening on a bottle. In any event, the opening will be formed at the outer end of a bottle neck which might be of minimal length or which might be a substantial portion of the bottle configuration. The neck 10, of circular cross sectional configuration, supports the opening and leads to the interior of the bottle.

At the outer end of the neck 10 there is formed a protruding shoulder 11 having an outer surface configuration that extends radially outward beyond neck 10 at the outer end thereof. The shoulder 11 is formed integrally 3,335,891 Patented Aug. 15, 1967 with neck 10 and extends entirely about the circumference thereof. It is positioned coaxially with neck 10.

Extending axially outward from shoulder 11 is an extension generally designated by the numeral 12. The extension 12 is also formed integrally with neck 10 and shoulder 11 and extends coaxially therewith. The thickness of a plastic material in the extension 12 is substantially equal to the thickness of material in neck 10 and shoulder 11.

At its outer end, the extension 12 terminates in an inwardly directed radial flange 13. Flange 13 has a machined inside diameter that is less than the inner diameter of neck 10 at its outer end and is coaxial therewith. There is also provided a small raised circular ledge 14 at the outer end of extension 12. Ledge 14 terminates in a sharp circular corner coaxial with neck 10 and protrudes outwardly beyond flange 13.

The opening just described is designed for effective use with two different types of closures. The first, shown in FIGURES l, 2, and 5, is a flexible closure, which might be made of paper, plastic, or other flexible material. This closure includes a circular central portion 15 having an outer diameter slightly greater than the inside diameter of the circular flange 13. An offset rim 16 located outwardly from the central portion 15 extends radially beyond the central portion 15 and is adapted to cover flange 13, ledge 14, and extension 12. The outer edge of the rim 16 is folded and crimped over extension 12 and is pressed against the outer surface of neck 10 (FIGURES 1 and 2).

The rim 16 protectively covers the opening on the bottle neck 10, while the central portion 15 and the raised area adjacent to it provides an efiective liquid seal against the inner circular edge of flange 13. The flexible cap is removable due to its own capacity to yield plus the yieldable nature of the plastic material used in the bottle. Such bottles are conventionally made of polyethylene or polypropylene materials having physical characteristics suitable for the machinery and environment in which the bottles are used.

To provide greater flexibility and adaptability in the use of the bottle, it is designed also to receive a threaded cap 17 in the manner shown in FIGURES 3 and 4. Cap 17 is provided with a threaded rim 18 that engages a complementary set of screw threads 20 formed about the circumference of extension 12. These screw threads 20* do not afi'ect the sealing capability of rim 16 in the flexible cap and permit the reception of the cap 17 for re-use of the bottle. The screw cap 17 is preferably provided with a yieldable liner 21 of waxed paper or similar substance, which is deformed about the outer edge thereof due to pressing engagement by the previously described ledge 14. The biting action of ledge 14, plus the pressure applied to the bottle opening due to the threads 20 provides a rigid opening on the yieldable plastic bottle, insuring an effective seal to prevent escape of bottle contents.

The bottle on which this opening is provided is designed for use primarily by dairies, but can be adapted to other uses. Milk or other dairy substances will be marketed in the bottle, sealed by the flexible cap as shown in FIGURES 1 and 2. The purchaser of the bottle and material will be provided with a threaded cap for re-use of the bottle after initial opening. Thus, the bottle can be used an indefinite number of times with the more permanent type of screw cap shown in FIGURES 3 and 4. The first user has the benefit of the mechanically sealed protective cover that prevents contamination of the entire bottle opening, including a portion of the neck 10. The ultimate user has the advantage of a readily available permanent closure for the bottle, and the desirable feature of an efl ective liquid seal on a threaded plastic bottle opening.

Minor modifications can be made in the bottle structure without deviating from the basic combination closure and opening as described above. However, the basic concept of the disclosure is defined in the following claim.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

A plastic bottle and closure therefor comprising;

a bottle opening formed at the outer end of a neck of said bottle having a circular cross-section,

a radially' outwardly protruding shoulder formed in tegrally on said bottle at the outer end of said neck, said shoulder being circular in cross-section and posi' tioned' coaxially with said neck,

an extension protruding axially outwardly from said shoulder relative to the interior of said bottle and positioned coaxially with said shoulder and neck,

screw threads formed in said extension about the periphery thereof and adapted to receive a threaded cap,

a radially inwardly directed annular flange formed integrally at the outer end of said extension and termi nating in an inner circular edge positioned coaxially with said neck,

an axially extending circular protrusion on said annular flange adjacent the outer edge thereof and a removable cap formed of flexible material having a de 20 pressed central circular section with a diameter slight- 4 ly greater than the inside diameter of said flange, a rim portion overlying said flange in contact with said protrusion and a depending skirt surrounding said extension and terminating in contact with the neck of said bottle below said shoulder.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,607,091 11/1926 Lucas 215-39 2,711,840 6/1955 Gits et a1. 150-.5 X 3,209,934 10/1965 Salrninen 21541 3,212,663 10/1965 Greenwell 215-31 3,229,841 1/1966 Bailey 215-31 3,263,724 8/1966 Monjonnier et a1. 215-31 X FOREIGN PATENTS 352,587 7/ 1931 Great Britain.

JOSEPH R. LECLAIR, Primary Examiner.

DONALD F. NORTON, Assistant Examiner. 

